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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22717309">happy late christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moxleysbaby/pseuds/moxleysbaby'>moxleysbaby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ballum, Ben Mitchell x Callum Highway - Fandom, EastEnders (TV), EastEnders (TV) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, just a bunch of fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:00:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>896</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22717309</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moxleysbaby/pseuds/moxleysbaby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a bunch of fluff based on a conversation in the Ballum gc!</p><p>(not a clue what's happening with the title but go with it pls x)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell, Callum Highway x Ben Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>happy late christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hope you all enjoy! x</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day was winding down and Callum was sat at the dining table, busy revising for his police assessment when Ben rushed into the flat. He gave a quick kiss and mumbled a hasty hello before heading into the bedroom and closing the door shut behind him. Ben was so fast, Callum had barely even registered what had happened and his mind began to run. </p><p>There was about 5 minutes of frustrated groans and curses that could be heard all throughout the flat and Callum decided to go and check on Ben. He knocked on the door, “Ben? You okay in there?” before pushing it open. He had only opened it a bit before Callum was knocked back. </p><p>“I’m fine! Just- just don’t come in!” </p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“I just- I’m doing something and you can’t see! I promise I’ll be out in a second. Just go and sit down.”</p><p>Callum didn’t believe him but decided that he shouldn’t push so he sat back down at the table. He was lost in his thoughts when Ben walked back out of the bedroom, seemingly less rushed off his feet but there was a look on his face that Callum didn’t recognise. He couldn’t figure out if it was a sheepish look or a nervous look, maybe both? Ben sat down in the seat next to Callum and pulled the laptop away from him, pushing the lid shut. </p><p>“Ya alright?” Callum was confused to say the least. </p><p>“Yeah, jus come sit on the sofa?” The atmosphere in the room grew tense when Ben uttered the words but both men sat facing each other on the sofa nonetheless. </p><p>“Is everything okay?”</p><p>“Yeah, well it will be, once I do this.”</p><p>“Do what…?” Callum was nervous now. It had happened before and he couldn’t help but think the worst was about to happen again. </p><p>Ben didn’t reply, he simply pulled out a present from seemingly nowhere, how Callum hadn’t noticed it before, he had no idea. </p><p>“What is that?”</p><p>“I know I didn’t get you anything at Christmas but you deserve to get something so here you are.” Ben placed it on Callum’s lap hastily before wringing his fingers, a sure fire sign to Callum that Ben was nervous about this. </p><p>The atrociously wrapped gift sat on Callum’s legs and he looked down before looking back at Ben who took this as judgment for the wrapping and mumbled, “you’re doing the wrapping next year… but I hope you like it…”</p><p>Callum stared at Ben again before tearing into the wrapping. He pulls out the frame and stared at it in awe. He took in the photo and frame that Ben had chosen. Callum felt like his heart was going to burst with love and adoration. Ben takes the silence as Callum not liking it and felt the need to explain. </p><p>“I- I know it’s not much and you probably don’t like it, which is fine by the way, but I didn’t want you to think that you don’t deserve something cause you really do and yeah, I just wanted to get you something.” Ben was rambling and it made Callum grin. </p><p>He found it adorable that Ben was getting all flustered and nervous about this. </p><p>“Shut up and c’mere!” Callum pulled Ben into a soft kiss. </p><p>“I’ve got an idea of where to put it. You don’t have to but I just thought it’d be nice.” </p><p>“Yeah? Go on then!”</p><p>Ben grabbed Callum’s hand and pulled him up towards the chest of drawers that housed some nic-nacs. He shuffled them around to make room for the frame to sit front and center and just when Callum thought he couldn’t feel more in love with his man, he was proven wrong. </p><p>To some, Ben putting the frame in the front would mean nothing, they wouldn’t care. But to Callum it just proved that Ben was as committed in this relationship as Callum was. It proved that Ben wanted everyone to know that they were together and in love, even if Ben hadn’t said it yet. He knew it already but a bit of reassurance goes a long way whether they are actions or words. In particular after their break up just before Christmas, Callum loved the warmth, comfort and softness that Ben brought into his life. </p><p>He knew that not all of life would be like this and he also knew that a significant chunk of Ben’s life would not be like that, boy did he know it, but it made him appreciate it even more when it was like that. Callum grinned at Ben and when he turned around, Ben was confused.</p><p>“What? What’re you lookin at me like that for?”</p><p>“Nothin’ just c’mere,” Callum grabbed at Ben’s waist and pulled him in close. Ben nuzzled Callum’s chest before tucking his head under Callum’s chin. This was Ben’s safe place. The place where he felt like nothing could come and get him. The place where he felt most at peace. Being in Callum’s arms was like taking a hot bath after a long day, you could just feel all the stress melt away and it felt like the air got lighter, like you could breath easier. </p><p>It was an incredible feeling and Ben knew that nothing could ever compare to the feeling of peace and absolute love that Callum brought him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://moxleysbaby.tumblr.com/">@moxleysbaby on tumblr</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://mitchellandhighway.tumblr.com/">@mitchellandhighway on tumblr</a>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
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